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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · bay · bark · kid · ruler · prune · bulb · swing

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. kid — child
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. swing — to play on
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pit — a hole
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bark — to shout
  18. swing — music
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. prune — to trim
  24. ruler — a monarch

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com